Paddle Journal

Joan, Dan, and I took a day off work and traveled to the Finger Lakes to paddle. The morning was overcast, drizzly, and windy. Our first stop at Conesus Lake showed the lake was too choppy to paddle, though we did scout out some launch sites.

After a fine breakfast at a small diner near Vitale Park on Conesus Lake, we drove to the Conesus Inlet. Unfortunately, the water levels are low now, and the water is quite green and a bit smelly. The hoards of Canada geese certainly didn't mind, but Spring would be a better time to kayak this area.

By now the day had cleared, and it was sunny and bright. We headed to a DEC launch at the south end of Honeoye Lake. The parking attendant advised us that if we parked just outside the lot, we wouldn't have to pay the $6 fee. He also pointed out several Giant Hogweed plants (dangerous) along the driveway. He told us how to get to the inlet and what birds and beasts to be on the lookout for. In his words, "If you're very, very QUIET, you might see the river otters playing in the creek..." (Uh, WE never saw them...)

We paddled choppy Honeoye Lake from the launch, south to the inlet, skirted a little island, and suddenly we were in a tranquil, duckweed covered marsh with a winding creek to follow for miles. We saw snapping turtles peeking their heads out of the water and suddenly ducking back under as we glided by, many wood duck nesting boxes (but no wood ducks), frogs, blue jays, a kingfisher resting on a manmade osprey nesting box, and a great blue heron.

The inlet was heavily vegetated, quiet and serene. The duckweed closed behind us as we paddled, and made us feel as if we were paddling on a green carpet. We paddled 2 miles into the inlet before we stopped due to low water. With higher Springtime water levels, I think we could paddle further, as the GPS map shows a few more miles of creek. We loved exploring this inlet and want to return next Spring.

After the trip back to the launch, through two-foot lake rollers breaking across our bows, we enjoyed one of Joan's famous picnics on the grass. Our drive home included checking launches at both Hemlock and Canadice lakes, and a trip back to Conesus lake as well. Whew! It was a long day, but a good one.

-- Ness